PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Volka Brasehrava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Hardwick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Brasehrava
vs
Hardwick

193 cm
22
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
270 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Volka Brasehrava!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hank Hardwick!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brasehrava punishes Hardwick's body with a nice straight punch.
Hardwick tries to clinch but Brasehrava moves out of range.
Brasehrava swats away the attempt to clinch by Hardwick.
Brasehrava shoots in looking for a takedown. Hardwick tries to sprawl out of it but Brasehrava keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hardwick manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Hardwick misses with a series of wild punches.
Hardwick stuffs the takedown attempt from Brasehrava. Brasehrava gets slowly back to his feet.
Hardwick tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardwick just misses with a punch to the body.
Hardwick is looking to clinch but Brasehrava is avoiding it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brasehrava tries to clinch there but Hardwick circles away.
Hardwick throws a head kick but Brasehrava moves out of range.
Hardwick throws a head kick but Brasehrava moves out of range.
Brasehrava fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Volka Brasehrava. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brasehrava fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardwick stuffs the takedown.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Hardwick has eaten all the pies!
Hardwick looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Brasehrava shoots for a takedown but Hardwick saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hank Hardwick is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Brasehrava tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardwick tries a head kick but it misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Hardwick.
Brasehrava misses with a jab, cross combination.
Brasehrava checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Brasehrava looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Brasehrava has a takedown stuffed.
A clash of legs there as Brasehrava blocks the low kick.

Hardwick has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hardwick missing with knees to the body.
Brasehrava on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hardwick misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Brasehrava.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hardwick with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Brasehrava dodges an elbow strike from Hardwick.
Brasehrava avoiding damage as Hardwick throws knees to the body.
Hardwick crunches a lovely knee into Brasehrava's ribcage.
Hardwick misses with an elbow over the top.
Hardwick tries to land a knee to the head but Brasehrava blocks with his arms.
Hardwick using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Brasehrava is breathing heavily.
Brasehrava is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hardwick gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Hardwick missing with knees to the body.
Hardwick looking to throw knees to the head but Brasehrava is blocking nicely.
Hardwick scores with a knee to the head.

Brasehrava pulls guard successfully.

Brasehrava has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hardwick can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Brasehrava trying to keep a closed guard but Hardwick is proving a slippery customer.
Hardwick tries to free his leg and advance position but Brasehrava is retaining full guard.
Brasehrava will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brasehrava controls Hardwick momentarily but Hardwick frees himself.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Brasehrava is on top in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hardwick can do anything to dispel that myth.

Brasehrava drops back looking for a leg! Hardwick is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hardwick manages to kick Brasehrava off! Brasehrava jumps back into Hardwick's guard.
Brasehrava trying to control the position from guard on top but Hardwick is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Brasehrava is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Brasehrava pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hardwick is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Brasehrava working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Brasehrava is fighting to break Hardwick's control of his arms but Hardwick is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Hardwick is trying to keep Brasehrava in close.
Brasehrava wants to control from the top but Hardwick keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Brasehrava closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Brasehrava lands in his opponent's guard.
Hardwick preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hank Hardwick will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nice sprawl there from Hardwick as Brasehrava shoots in.
Hank Hardwick seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Brasehrava fails to land the takedown.
Hardwick keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Volka Brasehrava. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brasehrava motions for Hardwick to come forward. Brasehrava throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Brasehrava throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardwick's waist but Hardwick gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Brasehrava off to one side.
Brasehrava throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hardwick's waist but Hardwick gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Brasehrava off to one side.

Hardwick instigates a clinch.
Hardwick scores a nice knee to the body.
Hardwick trying to land knees to the body.
Hardwick tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hardwick pushes off an throws an elbow but Brasehrava leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Brasehrava blocks an elbow strike.
Hardwick using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hardwick throws an elbow but misses.
Hardwick lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Brasehrava stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Brasehrava changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hardwick fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Brasehrava fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardwick misses with a body kick.
Brasehrava shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hardwick as he jumps to the side.
Brasehrava shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hardwick tries to clinch there but Brasehrava circles away.
Brasehrava looks to land a combination. Hardwick sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Brasehrava thows a body shot but no joy.

Brasehrava shoots in and bounces Hardwick off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Brasehrava wants to control from the top but Hardwick keeps moving.
Hardwick really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Brasehrava. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Brasehrava decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hardwick, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brasehrava fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hardwick swats away the attempt to clinch by Brasehrava.

Brasehrava feints and as Hardwick raises his hands in defense, Brasehrava changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Brasehrava wants to pass the guard but Hardwick is keeping the position.
Brasehrava forces his way into half guard.
Brasehrava is stalling here. Hardwick is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Brasehrava seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hardwick has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Brasehrava tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brasehrava sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Brasehrava is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Well, if Hardwick is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Brasehrava makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Brasehrava.
Hardwick is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Brasehrava had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hardwick is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Brasehrava Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hardwick's back instead.
Hardwick trying to control but not successfully.

Brasehrava is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Hardwick knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Hardwick for a finish.

Brasehrava looking for the RNC.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Volka Brasehrava dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Brasehrava looks for the body kick but Hardwick saw that one coming.
Brasehrava throws a left that rocks Hardwick and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Brasehrava dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Hardwick regain composure!

Hardwick is rocked!
Brasehrava wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardwick keeps working.
Hardwick is still in real trouble! Can Brasehrava finish him?

Brasehrava wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hardwick, who protects the arm well.
Hardwick seems to have recovered his senses.
Brasehrava misses with the ground and pound.

Brasehrava tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Brasehrava has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Brasehrava tries for a kimura but Hardwick is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hardwick tries to buck Brasehrava off but Brasehrava is having none of it.
Brasehrava wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardwick keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Brasehrava stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Hardwick gets a clinch.
Hardwick connects with a nasty looking knee right to Brasehrava's face.
Brasehrava blocks the elbow strike.
Hardwick is pressed up against the cage. Brasehrava has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hardwick down to the mat. Hardwick avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hardwick tries to clinch up but Brasehrava circles away and keeps his distance.
Brasehrava fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hardwick feints and then cracks Brasehrava's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Brasehrava down.
Hardwick swats away the attempt to clinch by Brasehrava.
Hardwick clinches but Brasehrava breaks the clinch

and Brasehrava counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hardwick looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Brasehrava pushes down on Hardwick's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brasehrava not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Brasehrava is working for a kimura but Hardwick is defending it quite comfortably.
Hardwick is looking for a sweep. Brasehrava is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Brasehrava decides to stand and escape the position.

Brasehrava bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Brasehrava thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Brasehrava moves into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brasehrava can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hardwick is looking to escape.
Brasehrava throws some wild stikes that Hardwick manages to avoid easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Brasehrava looking for a guillotine from mount but Hardwick is having none of it.

Brasehrava with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Volka Brasehrava showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Brasehrava has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Volka Brasehrava!